Flexible roll-top or shutter for fireproof cabinets, &amp;c.



L. V. MBTZGAR. FLEXIBLE ROLL TOP ou SHUTTBR vFOR HREPROOP GABINETS, 6m.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1G,1914.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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L. V. METZGAR. FLEXIBLE ROLL TOP 0R SHUTTBR Fox PLRBPRooF GABINETS, ec.

APPLIoATroN FILED APR.16,1914.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' Z ffl/'eiwit' I gee-eli; @MLM L. V. METZGAR. FLEXIBLE ROLL TOP 0R SHUTTBP. FOR FIRBPROOF GABINETS, am.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.,

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APPLICATION FILED APR. 16,1914.

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UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

LEROY V. ME'IZGAR, 0F ELKHART, INDIANA.

FLEXIBLE ROLL-TOP OR SHUTTER FOR FIREPROOF CABINETS, &.c.

`shutter of fireproof construction, said 1flexible roll top or shutter being made up ofhollow overlapping sections suitably secured together b v metallic fastening means such as a continuous wire cable or cord extending through the inner portions of said sections, each of said sections being made of seamless drawn metal tubing suitably shaped so that the adjacent sections overlap each other;

it further comprises such a roll-top or shutter having its'sections filled with a heat insulating or fire resistant` composition such as asbestos, etc.; it also comprises certain novel features 'of construction and arrangement of parts', all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.- i

Ihe flexible roll top or shutter of the present invention is intended primarily for file cabinets, but can be used for other purposes where a `fireproof flexible roll-topor shutter is desired.

There the records of business transactions, and particularly of accounts such as those of retail stores, are kept inseparate record books or in loose-leaf pads or slip holders, it is important that these records shall be protected from loss or destruction by fire.y Where a large but cumbersome safe is available, such records are usually put away at night in such safe.` This however'involves.l frequent handling of the records with dan.

gerof loss during such handling. It is one of the objectsk of the present inventionto provide a fire-proof cabinet which shall be of lire-proof butl nevertheless portable construction, which will gilectively protect thel records within from fire, which is easy of access, andl in which the record books or loose-leaf slip holders or pads, '-etc.,I can be continually kept except --when `actually in use. and easily removed and replaced when desired It is a further. object ofthe pres` Specification of Letters Patent. Application led April 16, 1914. Serial No. 832,272.

V. METZGAR, a

Patented Sept. 8,v 1914.

ent invention to provide such a cabinet' i which shall have a flexible top or shutter which can be* readily opened and closed, but which will effectivelyprtect the contents of the cabinet from position. Other objects of. the invention will more fully and clearly-hereinafter appear.

I will now proceed to describe my' invenre when'in a close-d-` tion more particularly in connection with the embodiments thereofillustrated on the accom- It will be understood panying drawings.

that the invention is illustratedyby, but is y not limited to, the embodiments so illustrated and described.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l(V shows a cabinet embodying the invention,

this view being a side elevation with parts.`

broken away; Fig. 2 .is a `front elevation, with parts similarly broken away; Fig. 3 shows the preferred embodiment of the iiexif ble shutter or roll-top structure in section, this 'section being taken along the flexible cable uniting the elements of this top; Fig. 4 shows a modification ofthe. flexible top in section; Fig. 5 shows, somewhat diagrammatically, a modified jconstruction of the invention; Fig. ,6 shows the modification 'of Fig. 5 with the Iflexible top open; Fig. 7 is a detail view taken on' the line "3- 3 Fig. 5;

and Fig; 8 shows a furthermodifed construction of the flexible roll-top orshutter. .The cabinet illustrated on theaccompanying drawings is made up of a front wall 1, u side walls 2, rear wall 3, bottom 4, and ntop 5 having a forwardly and downwardly extending projection 6, .these walls being of suitable fire-proof cons truction to be more fully hereinafter described. The sides of the cabinet are inclined at their upper ends 'as at 7 and the roll-top or flexible shutter 8' is mounted to close the inclined top or front vportion of theV cabinet. yCertain parts of Figs. 1` and 2 show the outer walls of the cabinet broken away in order to disclose the fire-proof,i construction. In the embodiment f of the invention illustrated ythese Walls are made 'up'..iof' an outer wall 9 of sheet steel,

Van innerwagll 10 also of metal, and, between `these vtwo lwallsl two heavy thicknesses 'of Y' asbestos or other suitableinsulating tmaterial 11 ybetweenwhich is 'a lsuitable air space. The walls are suitably fastened together by bolts 13, these bolts being surrounded with suitablewashers or'packing 12 also of asbestos or similar insulating materials-"The side f and bottom walls of the cabinet are 'shown as provided with suitable corner plates 14 for uniting the lire-proof walls by means of suitable bolts or other fastening means.

Inside the cabinet is arranged a cellular structure or other suitable structure 15 forV holding the account books or slip holders or' other desired records, this cellular structure being shown as madeup of cross` plates or bars 16 spaced ,by suitable spacing bars or bolts 17, these cross plates and spacing plates orbolts dividing the structure into a plurality of compartments which in the prev`ferred. embodiment of the invention are arranged in a plane substantially at right angles to `the inclined top of the cabinet.

This cellular structure is suitably supported y bybrackets 18 and by screws 19 extending onthe rollers 28 and the guides 29 at the Atop of the drawer and the rod 27 at the bottom of the drawer, rollers 26 being fastened at the rearend of the drawer and arranged to engage with this rod to facilitate the move-- ment of the drawer and to prevent it from b eing completely removed except when de# s1re In the preferred embodiment of the fiexi' ble roll-top or shutter structure this structure .is made up of hollow sections or elements 35 of seamless drawn metal tubing.

-'Ihese-` hollowsections can be made by bend ing drawn tubing, or by drawing such tubing, into the desired form. For portable cabinets forA general office use the round tubes 4may for' example be of about seven' eighths inch diameter before being drawn through special dies into the particular shape desired. It will be seen that these sections are madeso that they inter-engage with or overlap each other and form whenunited together a continuous shutter. 3 In the embodiment of the invention illust-rated in Fig. 3 these hollow sections are filled with a suitable insulating and fire resistant material such as asbestos. In joining the sections of. this flexible top together suitable tire-proof means is used sothat the shutter as a whole is of fire-proof construction.- As' shown in Figs. 3, 4 and' 8 a suitable flexible wire cable 39 passes? through the lower portion of 4-each section. holes being drilled through thewalls of the hollow sections for l this purpose. These fiexible straps orcables vwhich unite the sections are of such size and construction that they give the desired flexi. bility and elasticity Without permitting the 'sections to separate to too great an extent from each other. The ends of this cable may be secured in lany suitable manner, clamps being shown in Fig. 3 for this purpose. The

cabinet. It will be seen that the arrange-- ment lof the fiexiblemetallic'cable 39-at the lower portion of the hollow sections'permits these sections to be iiexed in the manner indicated -in Fig. 3 but prevents them from being flexed in the opposite direction, the arrangement of this cable in the center of the lower extensions enabling the downward bending of thesesections with respect to each other but preventing the upward bending. This is particularly desirable because l of the weight which is frequently placed upon such shutters, and which weight is supported not only by the hollow sections themselves but also by thecable which has but slight extensibility, but which has 'a very considerable tensile strength. In Fig. 4 the hollow sections 35 ofthe exible top are. shown as hollow and withoutl any filling of asbestos. When the cabinet is constructed lwith a flexible top without such filling it is still a fire-proof cabinet, and I-consider such a cabinet included in the'present invention` although as I have'already po-inted out I consider 'the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 8,

containing asbestos or other suitable insulating material, thepreferred embodiment. In Fig. 8 the hollow sections are shown as having their interengaging or overlapping flanges rounded so that these sections have a more nearly rolling contact with each other, the sections tending to roll on each other with the flexible cables acting as the means for holding these sections in the desired relative position.

. In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 has been shown, somewhat diagiammatically, a cabinet provided with a similar flexible top and i addition with 'means to counterbalance th' top when in its Ilowered position. In cabinets of con` siderable size itis sometimes desirable that theentire weight Yof the flexible top shall be restrained from freed'ownward .movement when the top is being closed.- Since such tops are of considerable weight, particularly7 inthe larger size cabinets, these tops if permitted t0 slide without restraint would tend to close with too 'great force.- In order :to

prevent this action a eounterbalancing means has been .shown inl this embodiment of thel invention which will act to retard andpre' vent such operation. While different coun-- .terbalancing means can be used w-ithut departing from theintended-scope of the invention, that which isillu'stratedv is made up of the spring 47 connected by'meansof brokem- Moreover this spring acts also asa the cord 46`to theupper endr of the flexible top, so that when this' top is closed the extension ofthe spring tends to counterbalance and retard the free movement oftheiiexible top,l so that the force of its movement is thus counterbalance-in the opening of this fiexible top making the force necessary to be applied correspondingly less. In order further to facilitate the operation of this flexible top there is shown in Figs. 5 to 7 a :roller 44 at each side of the cabinet, this guide roller tbeing arranged so 'as to support the flexible `toio as it passes throughithe guides 41 at the 1:top Aof the cabinet.

These rollers lmay be connected together by a rod 45 which equaldov rollers andgguides or' of the particular counizesvtheir movement and may also be `provided with'suitablegrooves for the cords by means of which the counterbalancing springs are attached. lt will be understood thatthe invention is illustrated by, but is not limited to, the, specific structure of such terbalancing meansillustra ted and described. The spring i7 is shown as suitably'attached at the bot-tom of the casing, and it will be seen also that this spring operates in the back part of the casing where its operation does not interfere withithe'use of the cabinet as a whole forl its intended purposes.

The walls lof the cabinet are advanta` geously constructed of high grade sheet'steel capable of withstanding severe re tests, and the flexible shutter is similarly advantageously constructedof` such material. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention the walls are-lined with -double layers of asbestos or similar fire-proof .and re resistant material between which is a dead airspace, and the flexible top is similarly' provided with an asbestos. or other llinglso that as a result it isposslble to construct the cabinet a separate book or hol er foreach customer..

It is thus pos-:sible to use the cabinet con-` tinually and to replace each book or holder` when it is no longer desired for use. Loss trays ofthe upper/cellular structure. will be understood lthat the size and ar di die individual holders is aus minimized,

itl-being possible, because ofthe light and port-able construction of the cabinet to carry vthe same from place to place and to keep it in thevmost convenient location; while the contentsare nevertheless protected because of the lire-proof construction, it being necessary only to cl'ose the iexible top yin order. to secure such protection. It is thus pos sible, as has previously been 'pointed out,to secure much the same protection thatiswsecured in the much larger and muchmre cumbersome ofce isafes-with which it is necwhich is of -a readily portable construction,

it is possible to move the cabinet to the place it is desired to bfe used, and thus touse the cabinet for storing the records in their regular place except at such times as they are 1n The arrangement "of the cellular structure shown inpFig. 1 is particularly advantageous sincetheaccount books or trays are arranged at right angles to the flexible inclined cover so that whenthe cover is open the tops of .these'booksor trays are readily visible. These books and trays can .how-

ever be arranged in a vertical cellular structure as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. `5

where a larger number is desired in a cabinet of the same size, but the arrangement of4 Fig. 1 is in many cases more advantageous because of thd' facility which it offers for ready inspection of .the label cards on the ends of -these books or-trays.. A suitable shelf 31 may be arranged'b'elow this cellular structure for use in connection with the recordhooks or for lother purposes, suitable guidesfdmbeing :provided :fory this shelf.l In the drawer 25 may be kept other records sliclifsfcardindexeaietc., which may usedin connection with .the record books'cr It rangement .of this shelf and draweras well s'of the cellular structure can be changed [without departingfrom the intended scope .of the invention; It -will also be, understood thatthe cabinet can be made in larger or smaller sizes as may be desired, and that thel wallsv can be made of thinner orthicker material, the size 'and construction being capable' of being varied to suit widely different demands and conditions ofuse. While the flexible top or shut-ter has been shown as arranged on a particular incline, yet it .will understood that this inclination can be varied,the so-called top of the cabinet formingas well a part of the front of the cabinet, and the construction and operation of the flexible top or shutter being the same whether it be considered as arranged at the top or at the front of the cabinet.

Variations and modifications can be made in the specific embodiments illustrated and described without departing from the intended spirit' andfs'cope of the invention, it being intended and understood that the invention is illustrated by but is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof shown and described;

While the invention has been described more particularly in connection with a le cabinet, yet it will be understood that the fiexible roll-top or shutter of the present invention can beused for other similar pur'- poses Where al 'flexible iireproof shutter or roll-top isdelsire'd.

Iclaim:

' 1.' A ,flexibleroll-to'p or shutter comprisl ing rigid overlapping metallic sections made of seamless drawn' metal tubing, the sections of said shutter' each being provided with hollow extensions overlapping'similar extensions on the adjoining sections, and metallic means for uniting saidV sections to form a flexible shutter.

' 2. A flexible roll-top or shutter comprising rigid overlapping metallic sections made of seamless drawn metal tubing filled with a heat-insulating material, the sections of said shutter eachr being provided with hollow extensions overlapping similar extensions on the adjoining sections, and metallic means for uniting said sections to form a flexible shutter. j

3. A flexible roll-top or shutter for-fire- 'proof cabinets and similar-structures com-` prising rigid overlapping metallic sections made of seamless drawn metal tubing, the sections of said shutter each beingprovided with hollow extensions overlapping similar extensions on the adjoining sections, said sections being provided with openings near their inner sides in alinement with each other, and a. flexible metallic cable extending through said openings and uniting said sections. v

4. A flexible roll-top or'shutter for fireproof cabinets comprising rigid overlapping metallic sections, 'each of said sections being made up of a seamless drawn metal tube having a central portion .of uniform thickness and having at the top of one side and the bottom of the other extensions arranged to overlap corresponding extensions on the adjacent sections, said sections being filled with heat-insulating material and having openings near their inner sides in alinement with each other, and aI flexible metallic cable extending through said opening and surrounded by said heat-insulating material.

5. A reproof shutter or roll-top section made of rigid seamless drawn metal tubing having a central portion of substantially uniform thickness and having at the' top of one sidev and the bottom-of the other side thereof extensions adaptedto overlap the corresponding extensions of 'other sections when used in such shutter or roll-top construction, substantially as described.

6. A fireproof shutter or roll-top section made of seamless drawn metal tubing having a central portion of substantially uniform thickness and having at the top of one side and the bottom of the other side thereof extensions adapted to overlap the vcorresponding extensions of other sections when used in such shutter or roll-top construction,said section being filled with a heat-insulating material and having near its lower portion holes for the passage therethrough of a suitable/fastening means, substantial y as described.

. In testimony whereof I aix my signature in the presence of witnesses.

LEROY V. METZGAR. Witnesses:

HAzL WoLFE, M. L. COCHRAN, F. SwImtHART.- 

